Snow on the Ridge

Another snow day is upon us here at Gryffon Ridge, great!!  Since Rick is out plowing and trying to find a place to put all the snow, I am attempting to draft this week’s newsletter.  I know I don’t have his charming way with words and I am not as sarcastic as he is, but I am going to give it a good college try. 

First, I would like to state, enough with the snow already!  I took a job with the school so I could have my summers off, not have to work half the summer due to so many snow days.  I am so looking forward to standing in the middle of a grass field or parking lot and being very warm with the sun shining down on me during markets.  Yes! I am a sun worshipper, I love the heat and I am my happiest when it is 80+.  So why am I in Maine?  I came west from California in 1982 and since most of the roads in New England only run north and south I never found my way home and so started a life here.  Everyone tells me, oh you’ll get use to the cold, when?  When I am dead and it doesn’t matter.  My idea of winter activities is cooking, or if you were up on the ridge yesterday pig wrestling 101.

 Everyone but Zubenelgenubi

The pigs are finding the snow to be working to their benefit; it has snowed so much that the first two lower wires are covered and had shorted out the top wire.  So what do you get when it is feeding time?  Well, I got home yesterday after work and proceeded to get all the feed and water together for the pigs, and as I came out the door and placed everything on the sled to go up to the hill, the pigs heard me.  I look up and here comes Zubenelgenubi walking down the road from their pen to help me bring the food up.  There is nothing more fun then trying to get a 200+ lb pig back into a pen when she doesn’t want to go in.  Now as many of you know I am not a small lady but the last thing I wanted to do on a cold Friday night is wrestle with a pig.  I am glad to say Farmer 1, Pig 0.  I kicked butt and she is now in the pen with a new very hot top wire.  Let’s see her try to go through this one! (Famous last words)

 Zubenel

The ducks are still producing eggs faster than I can sell or eat them.  This morning we got 13 eggs so one of this week’s recipes is going to be a Maine Egg Dish.  One of my friends made this for a work brunch so I have adapted it using as many Maine products as possible.

Maine Strata

Serves 16

3 Cups sliced fresh Oyster Creek Mushrooms

3 Cups chopped Six River Farm Chard

2 Cups cubed Gryffon Ridge Natural Cooked Ham Steak

1 1/2 Cups chopped Goranson’s Farm Onions

1 1/2 Cups chopped green pepper

2 Six Rivers Garlic cloves, minced

1/3 Cup vegetable oil

2 (8 ounce) Packages Cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Half-and-half cream

9 Duck Eggs

4 Cups cubed day-old Zue Bakery Bread

3 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 Tsp. Bolivian Rose Salt

1/2 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

In a large skillet, sauté’ the mushrooms, chard, ham, onions, green peppers and garlic in oil until vegetables are tender. Drain and pat dry; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and cream until smooth. Beat in eggs. Stir in the bread, cheese, salt, pepper and vegetable mixture.  Pour into two greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

So, 9 eggs down and 4 more to go for the day.

We do have a new blend coming out this week, Hawaij.  Pronounced Ha-why-idge, it is essential to the cuisine of Yemen and popular in Israel, it is used as a rub prior to grilling meats, vegetables and seafood.  Also Hawaij is used to season stews, sauces, curries and rice.  I first heard of this back in 2007 in one of our several cooking magazines. I have included the recipe below that I clipped for your convenience.

Maraq (Yemeni Chicken Soup)

Serves 6 to 8

As in a pot-au-feu, the broth of this soup is served separately from the meat and vegetables. But unlike the French dish, this Yemenite one is given a brilliant turmeric hue from the spice mixture Hawayij.

6 Whole Chicken legs (about 3‚ lb), drumsticks and thighs split

3 Medium Russet (baking) Potatoes

1 Large Onion, quartered

4 Medium Carrots

1 Bunch Cilantro, tied into a bundle with kitchen string

2 1/2 Tbsp. Hawayij or to taste

ACCOMPANIMENTS: Hilbeh and Zhug

Put chicken and 1 tablespoon salt in a 6- to 8-quart stockpot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, skimming foam, 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, peel and halve potatoes.  Stir potatoes into broth along with onion, carrots, cilantro, 2‚ tablespoons Hawayij, and enough water to cover if necessary, then simmer, covered, until vegetables are very tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour.  Transfer chicken and vegetables to a platter and keep warm, covered. Discard cilantro and season broth with additional Hawayij and salt.  Serve each bowl of broth with a dollop of Hilbeh and with chicken, vegetables, and Zhug on the side.

Zhug (Yemenite Chile Garlic Sauce)

A homemade staple in the Yemenite household, this hot chile and garlic sauce becomes an ingredient itself—and may very well play a recurring role on your table.

6 oz. Fresh Jalapeño Chiles (about 6 medium), coarsely chopped

12 Garlic Cloves

1/4 Cup Water

1 Tsp. Ground Cumin

10 Black Peppercorns

1/4 Tsp. Cardamom Seeds (from a green cardamom pod)

1 Tsp. Sea Salt

Purée all ingredients in a blender, scraping down side, until smooth.

Hilbeh (Yemeni Fenugreek Condiment)

After soaking for two days, the fenugreek seeds release gelatinous properties that—when beaten—give the Hilbeh a billowy texture as delicate as whipped cream.

2 Tbsp. plus 2 Tsp. Fenugreek Seeds

1/2 Cup Packed Cilantro

1 1/4 Cups very cold Water, divided

1/2 Tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Tsp. Zhug

1/2 Tsp. Sea Salt

Soak fenugreek seeds in water to cover, replacing water every few hours for the first day and then just once or twice a day, at least 2 days total.  Drain fenugreek and blend with cilantro and 1/4 cup cold water in a blender until ground to a foamy pale-green paste, scraping down side if necessary, 1 to 2 minutes (add more water if needed).   Transfer paste to a stand mixer with 1/4 cup cold water and beat at high speed until mixture is doubled and holds soft peaks (like whipped cream), about 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup cold water and beat 5 minutes more.  Repeat 2 times.  At low speed, beat in lemon juice, Zhug, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until just incorporated.

 

Well, now that I have given you several great ideas I think it is time for me to get back to work and finish getting ready for the market tomorrow.  Rick has found his way back up the hill after 2 hrs. of moving snow and he seems no worse for the wear.  Right.  If you believe that I have a bridge in Dresden to sell you.  At times it feels like we live in our own snow globe and no one else can get in.  We hope that everyone has a safe night tonight and we will be seeing you at the market tomorrow.

Specials tomorrow will be, Duck Eggs *S*, $7.00 per dozen, Poultry Seasoning $1.00 off, and Jamaican “Jerk” Seasoning $1.00 off.  Check the white board out for any other specials that might move me when I get there.

Christine

Some Complaining & A Recipe

Since we didn’t receive the snow last Saturday the powers that be decided to give us more than called for this past Wednesday.  Up here on the ridge we received somewhere between 16 and 18 inches.  Hard to come up with an exact figure due to all the drifting.  However, it was more than enough for all concerned.  The ducks decided that they would go out in it and promptly fell through.  They’d beat their wings, climb out of the hole they were in, and sink again.  Pretty amusing to watch.  Eventually they cleared an area big enough to run around in and alternated between that and hiding under the coop.  Even the pigs seemed to enjoy it as they were running through the woods chasing each other and letting the snow fly.  They didn’t have a 1000 feet of driveway to plow.  Three times.  Okay.  I’m done complaining.  On a positive note it appears that the deer have decided to come back to our area.  We haven’t seen any since late summer around here and the other day we got up to see all sorts of tracks around the oak out front.  What does all this have to do with Herbs and Spices?  Nothing.

We don’t have anything new for you this week.  Been a bit busy with the SNOW and filling orders but next week we will have Hawaij for you.  I’ll tell you about it then.  In the meantime I have an excellent recipe for you that we adapted from Raghavan Iyer.

Fish in Yogurt Sauce

1/2 Tsp. Turmeric

1 lb. Skinless Fish Fillets (Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Tilapia if you have to)

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1 Tsp. Sugar

1 Tsp. Sea Salt

2 Tbsp. Peanut or Mustard Oil

1 Tbsp. Panch Phoron

2 Dried Chiles

1 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion

1 1/2 Tsp. Minced Ginger

2 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Cilantro

Sprinkle the Turmeric over both sides of the fish fillets and rub it in to the flesh.  Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight.  Blend the sugar and salt with the yogurt in a bowl and set aside.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the Panch Phoron and chiles and cook until the chiles blacken and the spices are aromatic.  Immediately add the fish fillets and sear them on both sides on the bed of roasted spices, about 30 seconds per side.  Transfer the fish to a plate.  Add the onion and ginger to the skillet and stir-fry until the onion is lightly browned.  Add the yogurt mixture and stir to incorporate the onion and spices.  Bring the sauce to a boil and add the fish fillets.  Spoon the sauce over the fillets and poach them uncovered until the fish just begins to flake, about 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with either Jasmine or Basmati rice and some soft breads.

We will again have duck and chicken eggs available tomorrow.  On a future note, two of our pigs will be going to the butcher at the end of the month and we be offering Forest Raised All Natural Pork coming up in mid Feb. Other than that take care and we’ll see you at the market.

2 in less than 24

I know.  Two posts in less than 24 hours.  Nothing for months prior to this.  So be it.  I had the brilliant ( at least to me) idea of posting the occasional newsletters that we send out to all our clients and friends.  Not sure why I didn't think of this before as it would have definitely kept this things a hell of a lot more current.  Anyway, here is yesterdays newsletter.  Complete with a recipe. And no pictures.

Happy New Year and all that Jazz.  Looks like we may have another storm brewing for this weekend which at this point might be going on during this Saturday’s market.  Not to worry though, we’re still planning on being there.  I have to say it was a little sparse looking last weekend.  About half our vendors were either recovering from New Year’s Eve or still celebrating it along with, from the looks of it, most of you.  Very peaceful.  Gave me some time to socialize a little more with those that were there.

So this week we have a new blend that we’ve been talking (promising) you for a while.  Last Sunday we had some willing (unsuspecting) guinea pigs (friends), that held a New Year’s Potluck at their farm and so I thought it would be a great opportunity to field test a new recipe.  Christine headed over to Bridge Farm with a half-gallon of Homemade Eggnog (made with duck eggs) and a pot of Tandoori Chicken.  I, with superbly bad timing, came down sick and stayed home to watch the Patriots trounce the Dolphins…as usual.  She came back empty-handed and so we offer you:

Tandoori Masala: In Pakistani and Punjabi Indian Cooking, this blend is used to marinate poultry, seafood, lamb, or paneer prior to cooking in a Tandoor oven.  Mix 2-3 tablespoons with 1 cup of plain yogurt and marinate for up to 24 hours prior to cooking.  Baste the items with the marinating liquid as it cooks and serve with Basmati rice.  Crafted from: Cumin Seed, Turmeric, Garlic, Coriander Seed, Ginger, Kala Namak, Amchur, Kashmiri Chile, Cassia Cinnamon, Mace, Cloves, and Annatto.

Now I don’t know anyone with a Tandoor oven.  Don’t let this stop you.  A hot grill works just fine.  So will your oven.  A word of caution, this blend is made with Kala Namak.  For those unfamiliar with this Indian Seasoning, it is also known as Black Salt and has a pronounced sulfurous smell.  What this means is that when you blend it with yogurt or even water you will smell sulfur similar to a hard-boiled egg.  This odor disappears when it is cooked and the Kala Namak adds a subtle richness to the blend.  Additionally, Tandoori cooking usually adds a couple of drops of red food dye to the blend of yogurt and masala.  This is entirely up to you.  We have chosen to add a small amount of Annatto to the blend to incorporate some natural red coloring to the finished dish.

On to this week’s recipe.  No it doesn’t use Tandoori Masala.  See instructions above.  We have:

Persian Stew

1/4 Cup olive oil

2 Large Onions, chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 lbs. Lean Beef or Lamb, Cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Large Tomatoes, seeded and chopped (22 oz. Can)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 Tsp. Sea Salt

1 1/2 Tbsp. Persian Blend (Advieh)

1 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 Tbsp. Ground Coriander

1/4 Tsp. Ground Cloves

1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg

2 Cups Beef Stock

1 lb. Green Beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until onions are tender.  Add the beef and cook until the beef is browned on all sides.  Add the tomatoes, cilantro, salt, Persian Blend, and the remaining spices.  Cook and stir for about a minute.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover.  Simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours.  Add the green beans and cook for another 20 minutes.  Garnish with additional fresh cilantro and serve over Basmati Rice.

We will have Duck eggs this week and for the foreseeable future.  A duck egg tastes very similar to a chicken egg and is excellent for baking…and eggnog.  The recipe for which is available on our website.  They have 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times the protein of a chicken egg and have a very creamy consistency.  They are available for $4.00 per half-dozen and $7.50 per dozen.

Okay.  That’s it.  More to follow.  Take care and we’ll see you at the market.

Rick

Seven Months 10 Days

For those of you that can add, that's how long it's been since I last posted something here.  I know.  I've committed the cardinal sin of blogging.  Establish a Blog, entice your readers, then stop posting.  No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth, just got a tad busy.  Maybe more than a tad.

When last I wrote, we had acquired a veritable menagerie of critters.  Many of them are now gracing the inside of our freezers.  Especially the god-forsaken ducks.  Let me tell you, there's a reason ducks are so damn expensive when you go to buy one for yourself.  They pretty much destroy any area you locate them in.  They go through 4 times the amount of water that they actually need.  And when it's time to process them, you're in for a real treat.  A duck can take up to 6 times as long to process as a chicken.  By processing I'm talking about killing, plucking, eviscerating, cleaning, and packaging.

Most people don't think about the whole process an animal goes through before it arrives in their local grocery store.  Most people don't want to think about it, and with good reason.  It's not pleasant.  But it does give you a greater appreciation for the animal when you perform it yourself.  This year we processed about 90 chickens with the help of our good friend Charlie from Tandem Glass.  Charlie and his wife Terrill create some amazing hand blown glass items in their house/studio across the river from us.

Charlie came over on two of the hottest days in July and we processed all of the chickens that we raised for meat.  The adventure started slowly with just a few at a time.  Then Charlie and I got this great idea to grab a few more with the second trip up the yard.  Not thinking clearly we backed the chickens into a corner of the electric fence, and when we headed towards them they took out the fence. Now picture this, two grown men chasing 30+ chickens all over the yard and all Charlie can think of is Christine driving up over the hill and seeing us.   Speaking of Christine, she did handle the final cleaning and packaging.  She had many rude comments concerning my inability to purchase a lung remover for her.  Something I still haven't picked up.

Ducks were supposed to be processed in late August.  Didn't happen. Instead in September it ended up taking six of us a day and a half to process 49 ducks.  This is because a duck has a wonderful thing called down.  Down does not remove easy.  There is only one place in Maine that processes ducks, and they would rather not do it.  So they charge $13.00 per duck to process them which is reduced to $9.00 per duck if you help and pay a one-time $100.00 membership fee.  I don't blame them.  At $9.00 a duck it's a bargain.  So when you add that cost to the initial cost of the duck, feed, and maintenance, you get a very expensive bird.  We still have 18 ducks that we have kept as egg layers.  Duck eggs are available at market.  Enough on the ducks.

Remember the turkeys?  Well…they’re gone too.  Have to say they were the most fun out of all the birds that we raised.  And the most protective.  When you let them out in the morning they would take off running like a flock of velociraptors out of Jurassic Park.  Then they would follow you pretty much wherever you went. Funniest sight was watching them chase a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses down the road that showed up uninvited.  They would come up onto the deck on the front of the house and stare at the cats through the door and then lay down and take a nap.  They were also the tastiest turkeys we have ever eaten…Bourbon Reds.

 

On to the pigs.  That's Attila above.  You’ll recall that we acquired two Tamworths in May, well in September we a jumped in and purchased a breeding pair of Red Wattles along with two Large Black/Berkshire crossed pigs.  Red Wattles are among the most critically endangered pigs in the U.S.  It’s believed that there are only about 600 breeding pairs.  This makes for a rather small gene pool.  Anyway, with these additions we now had 6 pigs.  Until November.  Which was when Attila met his maker.  Attila, unlike his namesake, was the gentlest pig to be around.  His major concern was what was for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Not necessarily in that order.  When he was dressed out he weighed in at 340 lbs. and provided us with some of the best bacon we have ever had in addition to many other fine cuts.

 

The other pigs, Bungie (Tamworth Female), Hamlet (Red Wattle Male), Zubenelgenubi (Red Wattle Female), and Sox and Dancer the two Large Black/Berkshires all reside in the woods out back of our house.  They have a couple of acres to roam around in and some well-built housing courtesy of our friend Glen Goodell.  Our intent is to raise Red Wattles to help propagate the species and Tamworth/Red Wattle crosses for meat.  We hadn’t intended to start our breeding program until the end of this month but last month Hamlet had other ideas.  So we maybe seeing piglets come the end of March.

We anticipate having forest-raised, organic pork available for sale at market beginning the middle of February.  Please contact us if you would like more information.  It’s not certified organic, you just have our word.

So, that’s where we stand.  There’s a lot of gaps in there that may be filled in with future posts and I promise that there will not be as long a drought between posts.

Rick